HOW MUCH LAND DOES A MAN REQUIRE?

Two sisters. Elder and Younger Elder Rich and pomp with rich clothing and life Younger tradesman and peasants. Own Land and shall never need to beg. Rich have extreme financial possibilities. Rich today, begging tomorrow Youngers husband was Pakhom Doesnt fear the devil as long as he has land. Devils challenge I will Give you much land and then take it away. Lady landowner Named Barina 120 DESSIATINS Horse Oats Cow garden Calves meadows People convinced to sell land to them and not the overseer. Overseer was bad person. Heavier fines Pakhom bought land for 100 roubles, selling a foal and half their bees and putting their son into service. This raised half the amount. Bought Fifteen Dessiatins. Borrowed money from brother in law. Raised fine crop. Repaid amount within a year. New trader comes along and tells him that Beyond the Volga, New settlement is becoming up, where 10 Dessiatins FREE Three roubles a dessiatin. SOLD EVERYTHING and bought 50 Dessiatins. Wanted to Grow Turkish White Wheat. Leased land in strange districts for 5 years. Decided to move out. Bought 500 dessiatins very cheap and moved out. ONE DAY A MERCHANT CAME AND TOLD HIM OF a land far away where he bought Five THOUSAND Dessiatins for 1000 Roubles ONLY. Take presents of KHALATS CARPETS AND CHESTS OF TEA. Damn excited. Left wife and took only his workman to the camp of the BASHKIRS they neither ploughed nor ate corn and only lived off cattle and Cossack horses. Chief sustenance mare milk, made into drink known as Kumiss also churned into cheese. Solid food = Meat. Entertainment of the bashkirs = pipe playing. Knew no Russian and were deficient in education. Holiday all year long. Happy with gifts, asked what they wanted, he said that I want lad. They said okay. Starshina enters. Pakhom offers Khalat and five pounds of tea. Wanted proper deed so that their children might not take it away. 1000 roubles PER DAY AS MUCH AS LAND YOU CAN WALK AROUND IN A DAY, THAT MUCH LAND IS YOURS.IF ON TH SAME DAY YOU DO NOT RETURN TO THE SPOT WHERE YOU STARTED, YOUR MONEY IS FORFEITED. Had a dream during the night. Identical cart and he went out and saw the Starshina laughing, approached him and he turned in to the merchant who had visited him and told him about the land of the bashkirs and again he turned into the trader who told him about the land across the Volga. And then he turned into the DEVIL!! He also a saw a man barefooted white-faced in a shirt and breeches lying flat on his back (DEAD) . It was HIMSELF. Pakhom and everybody else reached the knoll (hill) and started. Pakhom kept the money , took off his waistcoat, tightened his belt around his waist, thrust his wallet and some bread into his bosom tied a flask of water to his shoulder strap and pulled up his long boots. Must not lose time, do most walking while air is cool. One verst one stake Five versts second stake took off waistcoat 10 versts - third stake took off boots 15 verst 4th stake TOOK SHARP LEFT After some distance had food

10 versts after left turn and then he saw dry ravine. Couldnt miss it. Stake at dry ravine. Third lap was 15 versts long. Fear set in. Not enough time. Bleeding feet. Chaffed and Bruised. Second thoughts about this whole idea. Having taken in too much at a time. He heard the Bashkirs cheering him. Sun had begun to set and he was very close. However for the people on the knoll the sun would set slightly late due to different angle of viewing and giving him extra time. He climbed and yet fell down the hill but managed to touch the hat. He fell down dead. Starshina asked him to buried. Exactly 3 Russian ells In the end Human greed gave way to the death of a once decent and hardworking personal Greed is undying and has ruined so many lives. IMPORTANT QUESTION Was the Devil Unfair to Pakhom? In any way ? Justify.